After taking a kettlebell class through LOL, she's added in some strength training to her routine. She tried the Festival Food’s Turkey Trot in November 2017 and found she could run.

“I completed the 5 miles and cried when I was done because a year ago, I would have never made the distance,” she said.

However, Koeser had some hip issues with running, and rather than give up, she found elliptical training was easier on her hip.

Koeser won a one-year membership at Holy Family Wellness Center from winning the 2017 LOL Challenge, so she got into the pool and recalled her competitive swimming roots.

Lean on the Lakeshore’s Joni Shavlik, left, presents Julie Koeser with a $500 check for “Most Continued Weight Lost” in the Manitowoc weight-loss challenge.(Photo: Provided)

Koeser is now off cholesterol medication she had been using for 15 years. She rarely has red meats, has more fish and chicken, and loves avocado. Occasionally, she treats herself with a grilled shish-kebob — there is less meat in that. She tried going vegetarian but found she loves meat. She does, however, watch her portion sizes, and walks away from additional servings when she is finished eating.

“Portion size and exercise,” is Koeser’s mantra. There were no fad diets, just sensible choices. Her support system (her family and co-workers) is seeing results as well, including her daughter and sister. Last summer, she enjoyed a hike through the Grand Canyon, a feat she never would have considered at her 70-plus-pound heavier weight.

Lean on the Lakeshore is underway and focuses on healthy food choices, habit changes and a variety of exercises. If you missed the registration for this year’s challenge, you can follow the events and receive all of the curriculum (new habits posted every Sunday via video) by following the LOL Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/leanonthelakeshore/.